Oshawa cat owner learns hard way to keep cats indoors

Coyote attack

Submitted photo

OSHAWA -- Meye, a beloved family cat, was found lifeless in a residential neighbourhood in Oshawa. Her owners believe she was attacked by a coyote and want to warn residents of the dangers of letting cats outside. June 17, 2014.

DURHAM -- My heart goes out to Gina Grouette and her husband, who are dealing with the recent loss of their cat, Meye.

The couple found Meye in the Sears parking lot at the Oshawa Centre when she was just a kitten six and a half years ago, exactly one year after the death of Ms. Grouette’s father, a huge animal lover. So they decided to keep her.

Meye became quite comfortable in her warm and cozy home, but loved the outdoors. She started out just going in the backyard, and then tested her limits by wandering over to the neighbour’s yard. Her human parents weren’t too worried about her short adventures -- the sound of her favourite treats being shaken would summon her back to the house.

“We’d shake the bag, there she comes over the fence,” recalled Ms. Grouette.

Eventually, Meye would venture out to the area behind their house in north Oshawa, Ritson Fields, which includes a softball diamond, soccer fields, a pond and a small bushed area.

“She loves the outdoors. You bring her in the house and she’d whine and cry and whine and cry,” said Ms. Grouette.

Even though they were wary of her adventures, they had the attitude that a lot of people do: it won’t happen to us.

But sadly, this animal-loving pair learned it can happen to them when Meye went outside late one night after Ms. Grouette’s husband came home from his shift.

“She knew how to weasel her way and get what she wanted,” said Ms. Grouette.

When the cat didn’t come back, he waited up for her, like a father waiting for his child to get home safely.

“My poor husband was the one that had to hear it at 3 a.m.,” said Ms. Grouette.

When he heard her awful cries, he went looking for Meye immediately but couldn’t find her. Sadly, when they checked the field the next day, they found Meye’s lifeless body, obviously attacked by another animal. They think it was a coyote.

“You’re going to remember that forever,” she said of finding their precious Meye.

Now their elderly cat, Bear, seems to be wondering where the smart and adventurous Meye could be.

Ms. Grouette said she’s seen a number of missing cat posters in the area in which they live -- between Ritson and Wilson roads, just north of Taunton Road -- and feels the coyotes could be the culprits.

“I don’t think people realize they’re this close to home, that it could happen that close,” Ms. Grouette said.

She felt it necessary to get the word out and warn others that a tragedy like this could happen to them.

“If you love your animals enough, keep them in or leash them,” said Ms. Grouette.

UPCOMING

Karma Dogs Toys will be hosting a garage sale and bake sale on Saturday, June 21 to help raise funds for From My Heart Rescue, a non-profit, foster-based rescue based in Durham Region. The sale will feature dog-related items, household finds, a lemonade stand, and treasures of all kinds. Guests can meet some of the adoptable rescue dogs themselves. The sale will be take place at 23 Sato St. in Whitby from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit frommyheartrescue.com or search ‘From My Heart Rescue’ on Facebook.

Kristen Calis covers Pickering and writes a pet column for the Metroland Media Group’s Durham Region Division. Anyone with upcoming animal charity events that they would like listed in Kristen’s Kritters can e-mail kcalis@durhamregion.com.